West Newbury Town Clerk James R.W. Blatchford will receive a commemorative pin and certificate in June from the Massachusetts Town Clerks Association after he became qualified as a Certified Massachusetts Municipal Clerk.
Blatchford became eligible after taking the Association’s educational courses and passing a 250-question aptitude test. The test measures knowledge of state laws covering elections and election procedures, vital records, campaign and political finance, town meetings, planning, ethics and public records.
The Massachusetts Town Clerks Association said in a statement only 119 of the state’s 301 town clerks hold the certification.
Blatchford has served as West Newbury town clerk for three and a half years. He also serves as the town’s representative to the Merrimack Valley Transit advisory board. He previously served as Haverhill’s assistant city clerk from December 2019 to August 2021 and as a legislative aide to Sudbury Democratic state Rep. Carmine Gentile from January 2015 to June 2017.
Blatchford also served as the District F member on the Lawrence School Committee for four years and for six years as a member of the Lawrence.
The pin and certificate will be presented June 5 at the Massachusetts Town Clerks Association summer conference in Plymouth.